Through the Portrait
by between
Summary: Harry, Ron and Hermione touch a portrait that pulls them in. Unfortunately the painting is a world of Labyrinths, containg creatures even the Wizarding World has banned. And to top it all off they might not make it back in time for the DADA quiz-er, test.


A/N: I could say this story takes place in fifth year, but since I can't read the book until next week, it might be AU. Anyway I hope you like it. Oh and if the people seem kind of out of character…well personally, I blame puberty. And please review!

"And you can't get too close to them because of their fangs. They drip poison and if you touch them you'll probably die within a minute's time," Hermione lectured.

"Aren't those like vampires then?" Harry asked.

"Charmilings don't _suck_ your blood. Honestly! How many times do I have to explain?" 

"Yes Harry," Ron mimicked, "How could you have not read all of the books in the library about dwarfs with poisoned fangs?"

Hermione frowned at him before turning back to Harry, "Seriously Harry, the test is on Monday! It's Saturday already, and you don't know a thing."

"How _could you have another run in with the evil wizard who is trying to take over all of civilization instead of studying for your Defence Against the Dark Arts __quiz," Ron added, with a mock scandalized expression on his face._

"Ron, stop it!" Hermione yelled. "You've been doing this all day! You're being unreasonable. Isn't he Harry?"

"Well, you're insufferable. You've been acting like a know-it-all all day!" Ron glanced at his best friend for support. "Hasn't she Harry?"

Harry looked at his two best friends. Hermione _had_ been acting just a bit more unbearable than usual, and Ron _was being a bit unreasonable. Saying that out loud would  be signing his own suicide note, though. He opted for tact, "Ron, Hermione's just trying to help me study for our quiz ("Harry!")-er, test. And Hermione, Ron's just," __expressing his feelings for you through insults so he doesn't have to face them? "suffering from… cabin fever."_

"Well," Hermione cast Ron an annoyed look, "if you're so bored then why don't you just go outside?"

Ron stared at her for a second, looked out the snowstorm going on outside the window, cast a quick glance at the warm cozy Gryffindor Commom Room and its cheery fire, and stood up. "I think I will. And I'm taking the Marauder's Map. Coming Harry?"

"Of course he's not!" Hermione was quite obviously outraged, "He's studying."

But Harry was already standing up. "Come on Hermione. We have all day tomorrow to study. You should come with us."

"As if she could leave her books here, and actually have fun," Ron said scornfully.

Hremione's whole face turned red with contained rage. Harry had to admit that Ron was drawing this out too much. "Thank you Harry. I think I will come after all."

"Fine, just don't slow us down," Ron said, affecting an indifferent air, as he made his way to the portrait. Unfortunately the tips of his ears turned red.

Harry shrugged an apology to Hermione, and they both followed after him.

"_Ron Weasley, where are we?" Hermione cried half an hour later, looking around her at the strange corridor they'd been winding their way through for the last ten minutes._

"We're here," Ron said looking at the map, and pointing out the dots with their names on them. "The question is, where is here?"

Harry snatched the map out of his hands. Let's see, we gave the password to that portrait of the dairy maid and her hens, and took a right… "

The other two stared at him anxiously as he glanced up. 

"What?" Hermione asked, looking as if she'd rather not know.

"There is no right turn on the map."

"What?" This time it was Ron, and the 'what' was a protest not a question. "That's not possible."

"Give me the map." Hermione ordered.

Harry willingly handed it over. 

"This is ridiculous. How can there not be a right turn?" Hermione said to herself as she scanned the map.

"Maybe you have to do something to make it appear on the map?" Ron offered.

"Maybe they didn't know about the corridor?" was Harry's input.

Hermione looked at him in annoyance. "The Marauders worked on this map for seven years! They know the castle better than- than Dumbledore! Anyway, look at it. If the hallway wasn't there then where would this passageway," she pointed to an opening at the back of an empty classroom behind the wall "lead to? And if you think about it, the wall outside wouldn't be that far away. If I noticed that, don't you think the Marauders would notice the inconsistencies? And since they are the Marauders they would go and look for it."

"Well if they knew about it why didn't they put it on the map?" Ron asked, skeptically.

"Isn't it obvious?" this time both the fifth year boys were graced with her irritated glance. "Because they didn't want _anyone else_ to know about it."

"Oh right. And who else did they expect to look at the map? Snape?"

"_No. Harry. Sirius and Professor Lupin didn't want Harry to know about this place."_

"So you're saying they took it out after I got the map?" Harry asked, knitting his eyebrows.

"Didn't Professor Lupin confiscate it that time in third year? He didn't give it back till holidays started. He had plenty of time to change it."

"I still think it's stupid," Ron insisted, "Why not just mark the hallway dangerous, or something?"

"Ron, the first thing you and Harry would do is go searching for this place if you thought it held the least bit of interest."

"As if you wouldn't." Ron replied, grinning at her.

Hermione shook her head at him with an amused smile on her face. "Let's go back then." She said instead, turning around.

Harry and Ron exchanged glances and then each grabbed one of her arms, making their way down the hall.

"You're going the wrong way!" Hermione said half heartedly, When they didn't reply, she resigned herself to being dragged. "This is why I should have been in Ravenclaw," she mumbled.


End file.
